Sister Act

I must admit that I approached Lilian Nattel’s new novel through a particular lens: as the eldest of three sisters whose ties are fraught and distant. I hoped Only Sisters might offer me insight on how to foster a rapprochement with my siblings and reveal the key to sisterly attachment, which I seem to have misplaced some time ago. I knew I was asking a lot of a single work of fiction, but I proceeded with optimism.

While Nattel’s book does explore the conflicts and complexities between sisters, it does not present an easy pathway to reconnection. And that is due to the many challenges that face Joan and Vivien, the two women at its heart. From childhood onward, they must navigate difficult family dynamics that consistently undermine their efforts to support one another. That Joan finally finds a way to honour Vivien is a testament to the love she has always felt for her elder sister and her abiding commitment to family.